You either get it, or you don't. The
fizzy thrill of foraging for the ultimate,
razor-edge fashion ensemble
under $10, is not an acquired taste:
it's something you’re born with.

Cashed-up fashion hounds (reluctant
to fork out for anything less
than a logo) may scoff at op-shoppers, but the
fact is, recycling — one component to mix in
with your brand-new boutique bits, or a
complete outfit — is now a legitimate, creative
way to get the look you want.

Only two things can upset a committed
Congenital Op-shop Connoisseur's trolley: lack
of the knack, and their chosen shop's stock.

A
set of rules would help, but op-shoppers, by
nature, tend to be freer-than-average spirits
and not fond of guidelines.

Adapting any rule
to the soup of discarded frocks and bobs in a
thousand thrift shops is impossible anyway.

The canniest among modern op-shoppers
however, are careful:
■ to avoid anything even slightly imperfect;
■ to ensure the fit is precise, or that fees for a
professional dressmaker or tailor can be
reasonably accommodated in the final cost;

■ to ensure that existing wardrobe components
will blend fashionably with the "new",
pre-loved piece; and

■ to ensure that they never attempt to bargain
a price down because they are not, after all,
dealing with corporate fat-cats here, but charities
eeking out a difficult enough existence
without your mean-spirited posturing, so do
you want the frock or not?

And so, there are no rules. But inspiration is
another matter entirely and the reason so
many flock every year to St Kilda's Sacred Heart
Mission fund-raising fashion show, Style
Mission.

Here, the fragile art of op-shopping is
expressed in day, casual and after-eight outfits
assembled from its bins and racks by a team of
professional fashion stylists and designers.

Next Wednesday, May 26, in the St Kilda
Town Hall, on the corner of Brighton Road and
Carlisle Street, St Kilda, the show, Style Mission
II — Heavenly Creatures, will feature the cumulative
fashion talents of no less than Jenny
Bannister, Teena Varigos and Melissa Jackson.

Television personalities Jennifer Hansen, Jo Hall
and Anthea O'Connor (What Not To Wear) have
also picked up their preloved options for
conversion to Right Now looks.

Presenter Anna
Pinkus and Secret Life of Us actor Rhys Muldoon
will host, while Lauren Newton (daughter of
Bert), St Kilda Football players and volunteer
models will do the catwalk.